Welcome to ZanellaArt.com! My name is Jean Zanella-Dyer, and this is a brief summary of my art journey.
I've always been "crafty" and loved to crochet, quilt, sew, paint Christmas ornaments with my kids, and collect and display sea glass. But I never truly painted on canvas until four years ago.
In 2016, my husband landed his dream job selling Stetson Hats in Florida. I stayed in Connecticut to wrap up a 28-year career in public water and joined him in Florida in 2018. By the middle of 2019 I had settled into retirement and wrote a book called "Song for My Father" (available on Amazon) and was searching for my next project when I picked up a paint brush, and the rest is history. I was hooked! I also worked on my family ancestry and found a connection with several artists including Norman Rockwell, so painting is sort of in my DNA. I started with acrylic paint pouring which is a process of thinning out paint, pouring it on a canvas, and manipulating it through movement with various tools to create unexpected joy. You'll find many of my fluid art pieces on sale under "Fluid Art SALE" above. And then I moved exclusvely to using paint brushes (and a few other creative tools like Q-tips and crumpled foil wrap) with both acrylic and later oil paints, and through many wonderful artists on YouTube taught myself about values, perception, depth, shadow, light, creating new painting techniques through manipulating brushes, and so much more. I loved my career in public water and found ways of creative expression along the way, but being able to devote full days to creativity has been exhilarating.
The page button above called "Art for Sale" features currently available paintings in acrylic or oil, on stretched canvas or paint board (noted on each individual painting). I've found paint boards to be smoother for intricate paintings and flow of paint for flowers. There is also a gallery of sold or gifted paintings under "Paintings Sold. or Gifted"
This website is basic. It doesn't take credit cards or paypal. If you are interested in a painting, email me at jzdyer@gmail.com. I take checks or venmo for payments. All prices include tax, shipping and handling, so the price you see is what you pay. I'm also trusting that checks won't bounce. Don't break my trust or you'll ruin it for others in the future.
I also do commissioned works based on a photograph you provide. It is critical that you obtain the photographer's permission or the photograph will only be used for inspiration.
You will notice my prices are reasonable compared to other original artwork you'll find on Etsy or through galleries. I still consider myself in the process of learning how to paint, and I've priced the earlier pieces accordingly.
For anyone who purchases a piece or just peruses the paintings, may you feel joy and peace as you do so, and remember that you are the artist of your life; don't give the paint brush to anyone else.